NDTC Closes Season of Dance in Montego Bay on August 16

The National Dance Theatre Company of Jamaica (NDTC) will conclude its annual Season of Dance outside of Kingston for the first time, when the company stages the final performance of its 64th season at the Iberostar Theatre in Rose Hall, St. James, on August 16.

To be presented in partnership with First Dance Studios in St. James, the production will also serve as a fundraising gala to support the rebuilding and continued development of the Montego Bay-based institution, following the devastation caused by Hurricane Melissa.

The announcement was made during the gala’s media launch at S Hotel in Montego Bay, St. James, on Wednesday (July 8), where Artistic Director of the NDTC, Marlon Simms, described the decision as a defining moment for the company and Jamaica’s cultural landscape.

The NDTC, established in 1962, is the country’s premier dance company. Renowned for blending Jamaican folk traditions with modern and classical dance, the company has spent more than six decades showcasing Jamaica’s rich cultural heritage through acclaimed performances locally and internationally.

“For the first time in the company’s 64-year history, the Season of Dance will officially conclude outside of Kingston. That is no small thing, because this is about much more than taking performers to another city. It is about extending one of Jamaica’s great cultural traditions to new audiences and creating an opportunity for even more Jamaicans to experience the Season of Dance,” Mr. Simms said.

He said the decision reflects the NDTC’s long-standing mission of ensuring Jamaicans across the island have greater access to the country’s artistic excellence.

“Every Jamaican deserves the opportunity to see themselves reflected in excellence. That has always been the mission of the NDTC. Not simply to present dance, but to help Jamaicans recognise the beauty, the resilience, the creativity, and the brilliance that already exists within our people,” he added.

For her part, Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer of First Dance Studios, Jody-Marie Smith, said the partnership with the NDTC emerged from a shared vision of strengthening western

Jamaica’s creative sector, while supporting the recovery of artistic spaces damaged by Hurricane Melissa.

She outlined that the devastation experienced by First Dance Studios reinforced the importance of protecting creative spaces that provide opportunities for young people and the wider community.

Ms. Smith noted that the historic staging sends a powerful message to aspiring performers across western Jamaica.

“It tells our children that excellence belongs here too. It tells our artistes that their community matters. It tells every creative that they no longer have to leave home to experience one of

Jamaica’s greatest cultural institutions. This is bigger than First Dance Studios and the National Dance Theatre Company. It is about Western Jamaica, and it’s about access. This is about opportunity. It’s about legacy,” she said.

Mayor of Montego Bay, Councillor Richard Vernon, welcomed the staging of the season finale in the Second City, noting that the partnership came about after he connected the NDTC with First Dance Studios.

Chief Executive Officer of S Hotels, Christopher Issa, who served as guest speaker at the launch, also welcomed the staging of the NDTC’s season finale in Montego Bay, describing dance as an important part of Jamaica’s identity and a powerful tool for youth development.

“Dance is really such a part of our culture. It has been there from our communities, from our African heritage, and it’s in our communities. It’s not just how we sing our music but how we dance to the music,” Mr. Issa said.

He added that participation in dance helps to cultivate valuable life skills among young people.

“You have to focus, you have to be disciplined, you have to remember the steps, you have to have control of your body. It’s a form of exercise, it’s an emotional activity, it’s a release, it’s a performance, and so many skill sets go into dance,” Mr. Issa said.

The August 16 gala is expected to attract patrons from across Jamaica. Proceeds from the event will support the continued rebuilding of First Dance Studios and its mission of providing accessible creative spaces for young people and the wider artistic community.